Nobody knows exactly how many buildings in New Zealand can be classed as earthquake risks, but there’s little doubt it’s a frightening number. Recent earthquakes have put the spotlight firmly on the safety of the country’s buildings, with owners and users alike concerned to understand how well they might perform in an earthquake, and what they can do to improve them.

In the case of New Zealand’s precious heritage buildings, it’s an exceptionally fine balance between preserving the heritage quality and delivering the appropriate levels of safety for the people who use them. Across the country, specialist engineers are finding ways to do exactly that.